Atonement
by Fantasy Cat
Summary: By popular demand: The extended fic version of "A Place for the Night" from "Drabble Goodness". AU Bethyl where the Dixons are not part of the original group and Beth and Judith are the lone survivors of great tragedy plus other twists.
1. Prologue

**Well I got a lot of requests to make this a full story and I was pretty resistant for a while. But now that I have some ideas where to go with it I'm finally caving in!**

**It's important however to keep in mind a few things. The original one-shot from my "Drabble Goodness" series titled "A Place for the Night" will be a chapter in this story but it's going to be rewritten quite a bit. There's gonna be a few alterations maybe to the plot and the time gap. You'll see why when we get to it. There's gonna be lots of twists and stuff. So have fun!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own TWD or the characters within.**

* * *

**Prologue**

All the gunfire and screaming all around her could not drown out the despair she was feeling...from the very moment she saw her father decapitated.

She couldn't even focus as she tried to fire and run at the same time.

"Beth! We need to get outta here!"

Her sister, Maggie was dragging her back into the prison where more chaos got underway. They entered the cell where Judith was resting but now she was crying from all the commotion. "Take Judith and go. I haveta get Glenn!"

"Where are we going?!"

"You remember the silo? The one Rick told everyone to go to?"

"I...I...I think so."

"Go out the back tunnel and keep heading straight. You'll see it."

"But, Maggie..."

"Beth! Go! We'll meet you there!"

Beth picked up Judith and was now fighting her way against all the running and panicky people to get to the back of the prison...to the tunnel that led to the back of the prison. But she realized that something was totally wrong when she was about halfway down the hallway. It was too quiet. No one else from the prison seemed to be following her. She realized that she had to go back, find the other children.

But before she could make a move, everything began to shake. Debris was starting to fall. Most of it was coming from the prison end. She realized that if she didn't get herself and Judith to the other end leading outside they could be caved in for good.

It was the fastest she ever had to run. When she got out the other end, she nearly collapsed but managed to drop only to her knees while still holding the baby. She looked back and the prison was now collapsing on itself in a smoldering pile of debris and flames.

The smoke was getting closer. She had to keep running.

Her legs were already in horrible pain and she could spot walkers heading in her direction. She got out her handgun. Beth didn't know how she was going to shoot walkers while holding Judith and running at the same time, but for her sake, she was gonna try.

By some miracle, Beth managed to outrun them. Only firing at a couple that were getting too close. She hoped the chaos of the prison would distract them enough to allow her and Judith to keep moving. As much as every part of her wanted to go back and find the others, she knew that the child had to come first.

The further they got, the more she started to worry. She then made her way up the hill and could spot the silo. It was all coming back to her now.

She made a half jog the rest of the way. All-in-all, it took almost half an hour for her to make her way to the silo. But there was still no time to rest. Beth still had to take caution to make sure the inside of the silo was clear and safe of walkers. When it was she and Judith got in. Then she dropped to her knees again finally able to break down at last.

Judith was crying uncontrollably again.

"Shh...Judith. Judith, it's okay. The others are coming." She kept telling her and herself. "They'll be here soon. We just have to wait. We'll wait as long as we have to."


	2. 60 Days

**60 Days**

All of the next day was spent waiting anxiously. Beth peered through the open cracks hoping to see people from the prison. Maggie...Glenn...just anyone from the prison heading towards the silo. She wished she had a pair of binoculars so she could have a better look.

She climbed the ladder inside of the silo almost a hundred times just so she could look out from the upper hatch. But all throughout the day, all she could see was walkers. Smoke could be seen coming from where the prison was.

Beth told herself that maybe they were trying to dodge walkers...maybe their injuries were slowing them down. Should she go back? Should she try looking for them? She over-analyzed the situation. If she left and people showed up...and then there was Judith.

At the last minute, she decided she would keep waiting...take care of Judith like she's supposed to. They were coming. She knew they were.

...

For the next several days Beth gathered all the supplies that were stored in the silo. She rationed them out and got them ready for everyone. They could be badly injured and she would need to treat them right away. She made sure to eat as little of the food as possible. Save it for the others.

...

A week had passed.

Once she knew that it was safe, she ventured outside for the first time...scouring the area. The prison was too far away to make a quick check. She hurried back inside as soon as Judith started crying.

...

She started marking the days inside the silo. At this point, it could've been 2 and a half...maybe 3 weeks. The weather was getting bad. She still prayed for them. She prayed to God the others would find their way here. They had to have been lost. The escape route was blocked by the attacks. It was possible.

A few days later, a walker tried to break into the silo. A hatchet was one of the few weapons she had. With all the adrenaline in her, she opened the door and finished it off.

She found an old broom and dipped it in the walker's blood. As far up as she could reach, she would write a message on the side of the silo. Maybe they would be able to see it. Maybe Maggie...

It took hours till she was finally finished. The message read _'We're here! Beth & Judith'_.

She knew the message could attract the wrong kind of people but she was at the point where it might not matter anymore.

...

Judith had run out of diapers. Beth had never made a run before but she took the risk when she ventured to a nearby gas station. The miracle was that she not only made it there and back with the diapers but that Judith, whom she had to leave behind was still there. A part of her hoped that if she left for a bit, maybe someone else would be at the silo too, not just the baby.

After she changed Judith, she couldn't bring herself to look at the 30-something marks she made on the wall.

...

"Don't grieve." She told herself. "Don't grieve until you're sure."

Beth wasn't sure if she was still sane. If it wasn't for Judith, she knew she would be already lost. Soon the lullabies she would sing to her were less for Judith's comfort and more for her own.

Despite her efforts to ration, she realized how little food was left. The supplies weren't even meant to last this long as it was.

...

For the entire day, she sat there with Judith in her lap, looking at the 60 marks on the wall.

Sixty...

She didn't even realized she had been in this silo with Judith for that long. A part of her refused to believe the markings.

She carried Judith outside to look at the outside of the silo. Most of the bloody message had faded away from the recent rainstorms. But this time around, she couldn't bring herself to go back inside. After taking one glance at the silo and another at the direction of the prison, Beth stood there took one deep breath and just started walking in a random direction. She wonders if it was possible to already be dead on the inside.

...

The only time Beth would bring herself to think of her family and friends was to absorb whatever advice they had given her about surviving...looking in places no one would think to look...don't fight more walkers than you can handle...know when to leave...know when to hide.

She likes to think their words are the reason she's still alive. But Beth feels it is far more likely due to luck. Many had often considered Judith to be her lucky charm. She didn't know why they would think that. What luck was there in being all alone...in being the sole survivor of your people?

Walkers soon became easier to kill. At times she had gotten careless...just inches from getting bit at times.

She started to have complex conversations with Judith not realizing that she would even respond.

She had a bible on hand as her only reading material. She used to be a true believer in its word but the more she read it, the more she saw it as just plain text with no real meaning or depth behind it.

The book was read from cover to cover in about a month of traveling.

...

"Mama..."

Beth froze. She knows she's hearing things. In her state, she had to.

"Mama..."

Her turned towards Judith who was already in the process of crawling. The word was coming from the child's mouth and it was directed at her.

But Beth knew it was inevitable. Everyone back at the prison did too. They often joked that Judith would one day called her mama considering all the time she spent caring for her. But she wasn't supposed to be that...not in the literal sense. Beth was the nanny, the babysitter. She wasn't supposed to be the main caregiver. She wasn't supposed to be the last human the child had left in her world.

This wasn't how she wanted to be a mother.

And that was the moment she finally grieved...the moment Beth finally let it all out.

...

Once in a while, she would spot people...and not the good kind. After what happened to the prison, she knew better than to trust any human in this world. She'd rather encounter a walker than a human survivor any day of the week. The days when she believed that good people still existed in the world were long gone.

She saw movement of a human survivor and didn't bother to take a second glance. She dashed away with Judith in her arms as quickly as she could. Later that day...she would find a cabin, nearly covered in vegetation, wood rotting and growing moss, but from the looks of the inside, it was still habitable.

There was time to dream, Beth thought. If even temporarily, this could be their home. She could gather food and supplies from nearby areas and board up the windows. The time to rest was badly needed. When Beth looked at herself in the mirror she found, she saw a being that might as well resembled a walker. The color was fading from her face. Her ribs were sticking out.

She realized that she couldn't remember the last time she had a good meal.

Judith was not in any good shape herself but she was far more resilient than her "mother" was.

...

"Son of a bitch!"

The man had walkers swarming on him like locusts. His arrows weren't expendable. He would resort to elbowing them just to get out of there.

As he struck them with his crossbow, he became doused in blood and guts. Adrenaline compelled him to keep running, even though he was clearly in no condition to. He was too sore and too exhausted.

The distance between him and the walkers got bigger as he climbed the hill. Even in the darkness he could spot the cabin. There were no lights. As he got closer, he could see it was boarded up. People could be in there sleeping for all he knew. They could be in there ready to kill him.

But oddly enough, that didn't seem to matter to him anymore.

He tried the door and found it impossible to break through. Furniture had to be blocking it from the other side. His only other choice was the window. He threw all of his weight into it until he got through. He threw his crossbow into the home first, then he tried to climb in but got clumsy and crashed onto his side in pain.

He swore he could hear the whimpering of a child and some footsteps. _'Just great,'_ he thought. A light came into the room and he knew it had to be the parent. Death was coming. They were gonna kill him on sight. He thought it was for the best. After everything he had been through, he would welcome it.

Instead he found himself staring awkwardly at the petite blond woman who know had a gun pointed at him, shaking in horrible fear.


	3. The Stranger

**okay so here's the rewrite of "A Place for the Night" drabble...or most of it. Don't skimp it. I redid some critical details here and there and then there's the twist. Hope you like it.**

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**The Stranger**

"Mama..."

"It's okay, baby." Beth listened and it was as she feared. Someone or something was breaking into the shelter. Man...walker... It didn't matter. Both were considered dangerous in this new world.

"Mama...woker."

Beth turned to the little girl. "I know, Judith. I know. I'm gonna make the wokers go away okay?" She put her finger to her lips, their universal language. The child knew she had to be quiet so her 'mother' would make the 'wokers' go away. But Beth's ammunition had run horribly low. A dull knife and a gun with maybe two shots were all she had left.

She opened the door that led from the bedroom into the living room. In the darkness, she could see a shadow of a being crawling into the cabin from the now broken window. The movement of the figure was too fluid for it to be a walker. Plus the intruder was tossing something into the room (what seemed like a crossbow) as he climbed his way in. The figure, however, ended up losing his balance and fell on his side to the floor muttering a few curse words inbetween breaths.

With a flashlight in one hand, the gun in the other, Beth cautiously opened the door further making her way towards the intruder. When the rugged worn stranger finally caught sight of the light, Beth had her gun pointed and ready despite her arm shaking. "Don't move!"

The man just groaned as he looked over at her. It was difficult to see much of the his face because of all the dirt and blood that covered him. He tried to move but found it hurt more to do so.

"I mean it! Don't come any closer!"

He just stared at her then in a heavy redneck accent muttered, "Easy...Don't want no trouble."

"Then...then just take what you want and leave. I don't wanna hurt you." Beth tried to hold her grip on the gun hoping it was enough to get him moving. But he was still lying there against the wall struggling to catch his breath, rarely making eye contact with her.

"Mama..."

"I'm coming, Judith." The gun was still pointed in the direction of the man as she slowly step back until she was back in the bedroom. Once she was in the room, the child calmed down. But Beth would remain by the door keeping watch on the man in the hopes that he would eventually leave. She would let him take whatever food or supplies he wanted just as long as he let them be.

...

Thumping sounds and the seeping sunlight, made Beth realized that she had fallen asleep sometime in the night. She scrambled around. Judith was asleep on the bed, thank God. The sounds had to come from the intruder. Beth peaked through the door and could see the man crawling over to the supply of food in the far corner. He reached over to the cooler to pull out a bottled water. But was unable to lift himself much from the floor.

Beth was going to cautiously make her way into the room, but Judith's crying caused the man the man to look up right at her. Now that he got a better look at her, there was something familiar about her but he couldn't quite put his finger on it. She also seemed harmless...damn skinny to do any damage to him if she was the only one there. Could easily break in half any second.

His thoughts were interrupted as the crying got louder. It would attract walkers, like the ones he'd been chased by last night. "Keep yer kid quiet."

"She's not mine."

"Don't matter. Just get 'er to shuddup."

Beth rushed back to the bedroom and picked up Judith. She calmed down in her embrace but it was clear she was hungry. A risk would have to be taken to get the food where the man was. Nervously, she carried her back into the living room walking over to the supply of food in search for the remaining jars of baby food that was left. She was going to try to not let her unwanted guest deter her from Judith's needs. She sat on against the wall opposite of him and fed Judith as if he wasn't there. The whole time Judith was making eye contact with the man who looked at her almost bewildered. Beth could tell it was making him uncomfortable and it made her feel good.

He still was not trustworthy. But perhaps it was worth asking. "Are there others with you?"

The man looked down. "Was just me and my brother. Dumbass got 'imself killed."

"So the blood..."

"Would I be wasting my time here if I was bit?"

Beth gently put Judith down and reached for her makeshift first aid kit. Not knowing exactly what his injuries were, she just handed the kit over to him. She watched him take some alcoholic wipes to clean himself and chug some pain killers, nothing more.

"I'm Beth."

"...Daryl." He looked over at the kid. It still disturbed him that she was there. "If she ain't yours, why she call you mama?"

"I was part of a group. Her mom died giving birth to her and I sorta took over baby duty. Her dad and brother..." Beth didn't realize that she had trailed off until Daryl spoke up. "What?"

"We were in a prison..."

Daryl looked up. Did she just say 'prison'?

"We were having trouble with this other group and they came and attacked us. There was a meeting place just in case we ever were attacked. My sister told me to take Judith and go there. I got there and I could see the prison, the smoke...the fire... I waited there for two whole months...two months and no-one else came...nobody..." She couldn't pull the tough girl act infront of Daryl anymore. Not when it was clear that tears were coming from her eyes with every memory she had to relive of that day.

But it was nothing compared to what he was feeling on the inside. He now knew why she looked so familiar. Why the baby...

He couldn't tell her. She couldn't know. He had to hide his shock quickly. "That weren't wrong. You had to look after that kid."

Beth nodded. "I know..."

"How long you been out here?"

"Found this cabin a couple weeks ago. I know it's not safe to stay. I was thinking of moving on soon."

"What about before?"

"When I left the meeting place? I can't remember. Maybe 3...4 months."

Daryl was shocked. Four months? How was that even possible that Beth in her condition was somehow able to survive on her own with only a baby in tow for so long? She clearly was not physically fit. People like her and Judith, were the most vulnerable kind of people in this world. On their own, they would not have lasted a week. But perhaps he had underestimated her. Beth had been driven by her need to protect Judith. That had been strong enough to keep them both alive. And Daryl was willing to admit that anyone who could survive for that long just on that kind of nurturing will alone earned his respect and admiration.

"What do ya got to eat around here?"

"Mushrooms...berries...whatever I could find that's not poison."

That would definitely explain why Beth looked so physically weak. It probably had been an eternity since she had eaten any thing of true substance. Upon closer inspection, he could see her ribs were slightly poking out. She tried to stand up but was slowly losing her balance. If Daryl wasn't in a sh*t condition himself, he would've helped her out.

"Y'alright?"

"Sorry. I'm not feeling too well. I'm going to go lie down. When you're better, I think you know your way out."

"That it?"

"I really don't have anything you want," said Beth. "But if you're going to kill us, please make it quick and painless. I don't have the strength to fight you and we both know it." Beth picked Judith and they went back into the bedroom. "Goodbye, Daryl."

Once she left, Daryl began breathing hard and was shaking uncontrollably. '_Sh*t_,' he thought. He didn't think anyone from that prison survived.

How could he tell her? Was it even worth it to?

The prison she spoke of...the day her family and friends got slaughtered...he was there...he saw it all...

...and it was all his fault.


	4. Woodbury

**Woodbury**

He wonders how different things would be with him and Beth right now had they met under different circumstances...had he not realized that she was one of the last survivors of a community that was brought down by his people.

Daryl didn't lie to her...not completely. Yes, he was with his brother...but he was with others as well.

In the beginning when the world turned, it was just him and his brother, Merle. Merle wanted to join up with a camp of people waiting for sanctuary just outside of Atlanta. Daryl knew Atlanta was a lost cause...that and he knew that Merle wasn't interested in safety so much as he was interested in robbing the camp of whatever goods they had left. It was better, in Daryl's mind, to just get away from the cities and live off the wild like they were made for.

They flipped a coin and to their surprise Daryl, who rarely won anything in his life, won. The brothers would go away from the city.

Somewhere along the way, they encountered a group of men who took them to a small town called Woodbury, led by a man who called himself The Governor. At first things weren't easy. Daryl wasn't pleased when his crossbow was taken, but thankfully this was only temporary. Once the two brothers proved their strength and loyalty to the Governor, they became two of his more important men. Merle was more the muscle while Daryl was more the brains. They were part of a team that turned Woodbury into a strong and powerful community that took care of its citizens and kept them safe.

Soon conflict arose when two women came into their community. One of them had a katana that the Governor confiscated. Somehow, the woman not only got it back, but managed to cause some serious chaos within the community walls before escaping. The Governor was pissed. He asked Daryl to use his tracking skills to find this woman so he could bring her to justice.

A few days later, he tracked her to a prison. The katana-wielding bitch had taken refuge there. Daryl reluctantly went back to report his findings, and hoped that would be the end of their troubles. But Daryl could not have been more wrong. More conflict. The Governor captured some of the prison people. There was a shootout where Woodbury people were killed and the prisoners escaped. The other woman from earlier happened to know the prison people. She tried to get the two leaders to negotiate. That didn't work out so well either.

Then the Governor wanted a full assault on the prison, with every man at his disposal. The Dixon brothers were forced to fight even though Daryl really didn't want to.

Thankfully, the whole army had been spooked off when they were tricked into thinking that the prison was abandoned. But when said soldiers refused to go back and fight, the Governor pulled out his gun and fired on them. Merle and Martinez and Shumpert followed suit, but Daryl wanted them to stop. The Governor could've easily had him killed for defying him like the others did. But Merle pulled Daryl behind him, shielding him from the gunfire. "You don't wanna get involved, baby brother."

Merle saved his life that day.

The five men never went back to Woodbury. This left Daryl concerned because of the children and the old people that were left behind. The Governor did nothing, said nothing. He was slowly losing his mind with each passing day.

It was Martinez who secretly suggested to the others that they abandon the Governor. It didn't take long for the others to agree, though Merle at one point threatened to squeal. Abandoning the Governor turned out to be easier than expected. It was as if he knew they were leaving and just no longer gave a sh*t.

Over the next few weeks, the remaining four encountered more survivors and a new group, slowly but surely, began to form. Daryl went on a mission back to Woodbury with a few others only to find it burnt to cinders with no human presence. He hate to think the other residents have died. He hoped they had moved on to somewhere safer, saner.

The new group, however, were a good bunch. They did things fairly and had democratic votes. Martinez won his leadership role this way. Once in a while Merle would cause trouble but the other men were tough, former army people, and they knew just what to do to keep him in line. Once in a while they would lose people, like Shumpert, but they still held on and Daryl helped them out in every way he could.

Then the unexpected happened months later, when he and Martinez pulled the damn Governor out of that stinkin' pit.

But he wasn't called the Governor anymore. His name was now Brian Heriot, and he urged Martinez and the Dixon brothers to keep it that way. Reluctantly, they would let him and the family accompanying him back to their camp.

"This is nuts, you know that?"

"I know. But hey, maybe he did change."

"Nah. Something about it. Dunno what it is. People like him, they don't change."

"What am I suppose to do about it?"

"You're leader. Get rid of 'im before it's too late."

Sadly, Martinez failed to heed Daryl's warning. Brian had pronounced him dead just a short while later in an "accident". Mitch, the temporary substitute leader, then went missing and was presumed dead. Daryl was no fool. He knew who was behind it. But Brian confronted him first. He had the Dixon brothers cornered and confessed to the murders and that if they let him be in charge, they would both be spared Martinez's fate. Daryl took one look at Merle's face, a face that said "don't do anything stupid". Merle, of course, would blindly follow Brian. Daryl, however, was getting sick of his sh*t.

But in the end, he chickened out and he would forever regret it.

Daryl and Brian made a trip to the prison just to scout the area. They were both surprised to learn that some of the former Woodbury residents now had a home there. It was at that moment that Brian told Daryl they needed to get the prison back...at all costs. They had to get their revenge on these people. But behind those gates, Daryl would see something that would change his perspective on things. It was a young woman with long blonde hair and she was carrying a baby in her arms. She was helping an old man tend to a garden and they were very close and happy.

That was enough for Daryl.

Brian was talking the camp into a full assault, for the sake of their future, but Daryl visited him in his trailer as he was planning out his attack. "We can't do this," he told him. "They got innocent people there...women and children. Whatever your beef is with them, you gotta let it go. This prison ain't worth it."

Merle was also in the trailer at the time and thought his brother had completely lost his mind. "You two have been cozying it up in here for a long time," Brian said. "I've been out there, Daryl, and trust me. It's worth it."

"I want no part of it. You wanna kill these people? Fine. Do it without me." Daryl stormed out the trailer.

After sometime, he had deeply considered going off to the prison. Maybe he could warn them, get them to run before it was too late. But as he was packing his things to make the trip, Merle came up from behind him and started punching him. "Sorry baby bro. Can't let you go off warnin' them. Then we'd both be dead."

That was the last thing Daryl heard before he was knocked unconscious by his own brother.

He would wake up with his ears bombarded by the screams and gunfire. Somehow he found himself lying in the back of a parked truck. Surprisingly, his crossbow was there as well. When Daryl finally found his strength to get out, he was surrounded by chaos, and not too close by...a prison being blown to bits and flames.

Suddenly a familiar RV pulled up. He was surprised to find Lily there, the woman that came to the camp with Brian...became his lover. She came out of the RV carrying her daughter Meghan in her arms. The little girl was now dead, covered in mud and blood.

"What happened?" He asked her.

"...walker."

They both went in search of Brian only to find him hovering over an old man...the same old man that Daryl saw through the gates days before. His head now barely hung to his neck like a jug cap and they watched in horror as Brian finished the removal of the man's head with a sword.

He then put Meghan out of her misery to keep from turning. "KILL THEM ALL!"

"The hell's wrong with you?!" Daryl cried. "Stop this!"

"You pick up your crossbow and start shooting them, now! These people wouldn't let us in! They killed Meghan!"

"No! YOU KILLED HER! Little girl would still be alive if your head wasn't shoved so far up your ass!"

Brian then angrily charged at Daryl. With one hand around his neck and the other around the sword, he was determined to have Daryl meet the same fate as the old man.

"Hey! Let go of him!"

"Merle, NO!"

With one simple swing Brian took the sword and shoved it right through Merle's neck. Daryl just crawled back in disbelief as his brother's corpse fell the the ground. Realizing that he was freed from Brian's grip, Daryl reached for his crossbow and struck it at his head. The sword was lost and Daryl had the upper hand as he shot an arrow into Brian's lungs.

Brian looked at Daryl and laughed. "You're a bad shot, Dixon."

Daryl shrugged. "Only when I wanna be."

With all his might, Daryl kicked at Brian hard, pushing him back into a small group of hungry walkers. The distraction gave him enough time to escape. He couldn't get to Lily in time, as he watched her put a gun to her head and pull the trigger. He started running towards the prison only to find debris and bodies. The only things in motion were the flames and the walkers. The prison was nothing now, no more than a massive inferno. He knew then that he had to flee.

On his way out, he stumbled upon the now zombified head of the old man. Daryl never felt more sadness and pity than he did at that very moment. He closed his eyes and put an arrow into the head, ending its misery.

For weeks, Daryl roamed the wilderness torn between the natural instinct to live and the desire to die. He was all alone now. Nothing left. Had he never found that prison, had he gotten some balls to stop the whole mess sooner, maybe both groups of people would still be alive.

If there were other humans roaming these woods, Daryl sure as hell didn't want anything to do with them. Until the day he heard what sounded like a baby. Through the trees, he could see a small toddler being picked up. He couldn't see who the adult was but he could see the child and she was staring back at him. Whoever was holding the child must've saw him too, because they immediately dashed from sight. Daryl decided to follow their tracks and that's how he eventually came upon the walker herd.

Now he knew why Beth and Judith looked so familiar to him. It was their tracks he had been following the past couple of weeks. It had been them he saw through the gates the day he could not bring himself to take down the prison.

Not that it mattered now. Their people...their family were now all dead. And now it was just them in that cabin. _'She has to know,'_ Daryl thought. But how would Beth react? Would she fear him? Would she try to kill him in vengeance?

He sat there deciding he would wait for the right time to tell her. In the meantime, he was half-starved and in need of a good hunt.


	5. Coward

**Coward**

Normally, it only took a rabbit or a couple of squirrels to sustain Daryl for an entire day, and they were often hunted without much effort. But today he took his time and managed to get a couple of rabbits and a raccoon by the afternoon. He doubted that Beth ever had raccoon meat before, but considering her diet for the past couple of months, he thinks she can handle it if she were hungry enough.

He skinned the animals up then brought them back into the cabin. As he cooked them over the fireplace, he could hear Judith whining from the bedroom. The kid had an annoying set of lungs, dangerous too, considering the apocalypse. Daryl cautiously peaked into the bedroom. Beth was still asleep in the bed. She seemed to be unmoved by Judith's crying or she really was too weak to get up.

Daryl went over and took a stab at picking the kid up. Despite what his exterior showed, Daryl didn't mind kids. He likes to think that maybe he could be good with them once in a while.

"Hey kid, can't even let the woman you call yer mom get 5 minutes of sleep?" He put Judith on the floor and she finally calmed down while she played with her stuff animals.

Beth woke up some time later, surprised to find Judith on the floor. She was distracted by a strange aroma coming from the other room. To her surprise, she found Daryl in there, heating some red meat over a fire.

"You haven't had meat in a long time, have ye?"

Beth looked confused. "I thought you'd be gone."

"Wouldn't be much of a house guest without givin' ye something." He placed the cooked meat infront of her. "That's the good stuff. Don't let it go to waste."

Daryl didn't like the way she was toying with the meat. She asked "Um...should I ask what it is?"

"Well, some people say it taste like turkey."

After some hesitation, she took a bite out of the meat. "Well?" asked Daryl.

"You're right. It kinda does."

"Have the rest. I like mine raw anyway."

She found herself devouring all the meat, a true testament to how starved she had been as of late. Daryl watched her, reminding himself that he was supposed to tell her the truth about who he was. Where the hell was his guts? Before him was a woman who was already barely getting by...barely holdin' it together after losing just about everything. Now Daryl worried that telling her would just put her over the edge.

"Daryl?"

He worried she was catching on. Maybe she was suspicious about who he was. "Huh?"

"Were you planning on staying?"

Daryl panicked then shook his head. "Nah...I think I bothered ye enough."

"Oh." It sounded sad they way Beth said it as if she seemed a bit disappointed.

"You can't take care of yourself?"

"I can," she said. "I've looked after Judith this long..." The way Beth seemed to be trailing off, however, Daryl could sense that perhaps she was lonely. It had been far too long since either of them had any sort of human interaction. Then he remembered, the last time...it was the prison. That was the last time either of them were close to a living human being.

"You don't trust me, do ye?"

Beth shrugged. "It's hard to trust anyone, 'specially after watching someone kill everyone you know...chop of your dad's head..."

_Her dad?_ Daryl couldn't breathe. The old man...the old man that was in the garden with her...that the bastard Governor decapitated, was her dad?

"Are you okay, Daryl?"

Daryl got up and moved the furniture from the door. "I gotta go." This time he was going to leave for good. He pointed to the now boarded up window. "Fix that for ye, sorry." He couldn't bear being in the same room as her knowing her father was dead because of him.

"Good luck, Daryl."

He stopped for only a second at the door but he still couldn't bring himself to look at her. "Yeah...same to you."

Once he was away from the cabin, he found a quiet place and broke down in tears. Coward, he called himself. A filthy pathetic coward for letting people do what they wanted to do to one another. For letting a man as mad as the Governor live for so long. For having his brother save his ass too many times until it cost him his life. For not being able to look a sweet innocent person like Beth in the eye and tell her what she needed to know.

He was cursed...better off not being around anyone. Soon he found himself walking aimlessly until the darkness of night came. He almost failed to hear the sound of approaching footsteps. They didn't sound like walkers. These footsteps were moving fast and in unison. There was a group of men, no more than a dozen. They seemed to be heading the way that Daryl came from, but he quickly hid from view.

"We ain't gonna make it there tonight."

"You kiddin'. Can't be more than a couple miles from 'ere."

"We're all exhausted. We already know which direction the smoke came from."

"Fine. You lazytards win. We'll camp here tonight, but first thing tomorrow, we're going straight for the cabin."

Daryl watched them set up their camp. The cabin? It couldn't have been the same one he came from, was it? But what if it was the only one around here?

"How do you know it's a cabin? They coulda just been burning walkers."

"You saw the smoke. Had to be a cabin."

"There better be food."

"Screw that. There better be a broad!" The men laughed.

"Get to sleep, dammit. I wanna get to that cabin while there's still somethin' to get from it."

Daryl then remembered. When he cooked the meat for Beth earlier in the day, he didn't realize that the smoke would attract unwanted people. _'You f*cked up again, Dixon,'_ he thought to himself. _'Good goin'_.

Once he was sure they were asleep, Daryl disappeared back into the woods and began retracing his steps back into the direction of the cabin. No light came from the cabin which worried him. Not wanting to frighten Beth like he did the night before, he went to the door to knock, hoping that she was still there to answer it.

No response.

He went over to the window he boarded up, and could see her moving about, arming herself against whatever danger was outside. "Beth..."

She rushed over and could see Daryl's eyes from in-between the boards. He was the last person she ever expected to see again even after everything. "What are you...you came back again?"

"Lemme in. Quick."

Beth hurried to remove the furniture blocking the door and let Daryl in. "There's a group of guys, about a dozen of them. Not the nice type. They're camped out about 2 miles from here. But they'll find this place...come mornin' they will."

"You came back to warn me?"

"Ya wanna be here when they find ye?"

Beth shook her head.

"Then ye better get Judith."

She hurried to pack only the necessities in one bag while carrying Judith. To her surprise Daryl was still there volunteering to help her with her things. "So...where do I go?"

"Dunno," said Daryl. "Ain't too familiar with this area. I'm sure we'll find a safe place."

"We?"

Daryl sighed. "Not like I got anywhere else ta be."

Throughout most of the night Daryl lead the way through the woods, as far from the cabin as possible, with Beth and Judith struggling to keep up. They began to worry when they could hear distant moaning. Walkers.

Fortunately, they found a rusty van stuck in a ditch. Beth and Judith slept in the back while Daryl sat in the front seat, keeping watch even as the sun rose. They were far enough from the men Daryl came across. For now, they could take it easy, even though neither of them had any real goal or future destination in mind. Beth would surely ask about it sometime.

"Daryl?"

"Hmm..." He wasn't expecting her to be awake.

"You think there are still good people left in the world?"

"No," he said. Once again, he could see the disappointment in Beth's face. But he had answered her question with all honesty. After all, he felt he was living proof of the fact. Cowards just weren't good people.


	6. Lonely

**Lonely**

"Ladybug...ladybug...fly...away...home!"

Judith was giggling uncontrollably from Beth's tickling. Playtime was a rarity for the two of them. Beth had never felt more relaxed since they began traveling with Daryl. She was so used to taking on everything alone, that she almost forgot what it was like to just be Judith's caretaker and not much else.

Daryl, meanwhile would either hunt or just keep watch. The meat he provided for Beth had made a huge difference. In a matter of days, she was able to endure more traveling and she seemed less sickly. He didn't mind taking on the burden of the work. It wasn't like he had much else to do.

What Beth didn't know was that Daryl had recently come to a decision about their future. He would find a community, a group to take the girls in, and then they would go their separate ways. It wouldn't be enough to make up for the loss of her home and family, but it would give Beth and Judith a safe haven to rebuild their lives.

But here in the desolate woods of Georgia, it seemed like finding such a place would be impossible.

Once Daryl gathered more water, Beth knew it was time to keep going. Daryl watched her put Judith in the baby carrier. Trying to strap the thing to her back, however, proved to be quite a struggle. "That can't be good fer yer back."

"I'm fine," Beth said. "Judith's just getting heavier."

Daryl shifted his crossbow to the front of his body. "Alright. I got her." He took Judith strapped the baby carrier to his own back.

"Careful, she's a drooler when she sleeps," said Beth.

"Nothin' compared to walker guts."

Once Judith was on Daryl's back, Beth started giggling. "What's so funny?"

"Nothing. It's just...you look kinda ridiculous."

Daryl realized today was the first day since he had known Beth where she was actually smiling, actually enjoying herself and not having to worry about surviving. Judith had fallen asleep sometime during their traveling and just as Beth had warned, the child had gotten some drool on Daryl's shoulder.

It didn't take very long for them to encounter a walker. The thing was minding its own business until it took notice of them. Daryl tried to reach for his crossbow but Beth stopped him. "I got it." She pulled out her measly gun and made a clean shot straight for the walker's head.

"Damn." Daryl was impressed. He never expected Beth to be a good shot. All that time that she had to spend alone with Judith had made her tougher than she looked.

But the gunshot meant there could be more walkers, and they knew they couldn't take that chance. The first sign of civilization they encountered was the remnants of a former trailer park. It would have to do for a night or more.

Whatever structures used to be there were reduced to ashes or charred remains. They spotted a lone silver Avion trailer that was still standing. Once Daryl was able to clear the door, they got inside. The place was surprisingly in good shape, but Beth was taken aback by the ridiculous amount of wooden paneling. "Wow...this place is really retro."

"Come on," said Daryl. "Used to ride around in one of these with my uncle one summer. Best time I ever had."

It was no surprise to either of them that they could not find any food. Not that it matter since they were really tired. Daryl went outside to set up a makeshift alarm system. Beth found two twin bed just across from each other in the back. She saved one for Daryl, the other for herself and Judith after they had their evening prayers.

"What are ya doin'?" Daryl asked her.

"We were just gonna go to sleep."

"You ain't gonna give Judith the other bed?"

"I saved it for you."

Daryl was surprised. He didn't know what to do. "I was just gonna keep watch tonight."

"Well, it's here if you get tired."

For some reason, Beth giving him the extra bed made him feel uncomfortable and he didn't know why. At first, she had been a bit weary around him but now she was relaxing herself around him more, wanting to get close to him. He didn't know if he liked that. Beth still did not know the truth about them and he hoped that they would be parting ways before she found out.

Eventually Daryl did become exhausted and took his chances with the other bed. Only a few feet separated his space from Beth's and the bed was a bit too short for him. He was sure to get leg cramps tonight.

"Yes, Judith. I think he is a good man. We don't get to see many of those anymore."

Daryl was facing the wall when his eyes opened. Was Beth talking to him? Was she talking in her sleep? Judith only knew a few words and was years from reaching the age of curiosity.

"I guess he is like your dad. He seems to know what he's doing."

At this point, Daryl couldn't take anymore and turned to face Beth. "Thanks, I guess."

"Daryl..." Beth was embarrassed upon realizing he was awake. "I was..."

"Talking to yerself?"

"It's not like that," she said. "After the prison...when it was just me and Judith...I would sometimes talk to her. Make myself think that we were having grown up conversations that she understood...whatever kept me goin'."

He was beginning to understand. Beth had been too lonely for too long. "Yer lucky."

"No..." she said. "You are. You've been out there alone...just like me. But you've handle yourself."

"It ain't how it looks," he told her.

"Then what is it? Is something wrong?"

Daryl shifted himself so he was facing the wall yet again. "It's nuthin'. G'night." He closed his eyes in an effort to fall asleep. Somehow he succeeded but it wasn't long before the nightmares of that day at the prison would return...like they had many nights. Ever since he met Beth, he saw her blood...Judith's...scattered in those fields that he had killed the Governor in. And the head of her father just gnashing at him as if he knew who he was.

There was a bit of sweat on his face when he finally woke. Beth and Judith were still asleep in the other bed but it was still too close for him. He needed to get out. He needed to breathe.

The sun was going to rise soon. Just enough time to get breakfast, he thought, before the girls woke up.

It was the best time for hunting. But every time he encountered a woodland critter, it was dead...seemingly devoured. The more of them he came upon, the more it started to worry Daryl. Soon, he spotted them...a small group of walkers gorging the remains of a deer just up the hill. A few of them spotted Daryl and started heading down. Daryl had his crossbow ready but as the few walkers got closer, a dozen more soon appeared behind them. They were followed by even more.

"Goddamn!"

The herd began descending down the hill towards Daryl.

Beth hated to admit that she was a bit worried when she woke up and Daryl wasn't there. "Hunting," she told herself. "He's just hunting."

He wouldn't leave them, would he?

Judith was peeking out through one of the windows. "Mama, wokers."

"Judith, it's too early for playtime."

"Wokers!"

Beth started seeing shadows through the curtain and when she opened them she saw the walkers wandering around the trailer. Once they spotted her and Judith through the windows, she knew it was too late.

The walkers began to slap their hands at the windows causing Judith to scream in terror. "Judith! Shh!"

The screaming could be heard from outside and the walkers began to push and shove at the side of the trailer. Beth didn't bother counting them. They had no chance. She gathered Judith in her arms and crouched themselves in the toilet room. Everything in the trailer began to shake. It had the makings of a massive earthquake as the trailer rocked violently from side to side.

Daryl managed to escape the herd only to encounter another at the trailer park. He could hear the faint screaming of the child from within the trailer which was now tipping over from the weight of dozens of walkers. Before he could even comprehend what was happening, the trailer was pushed too far, finally tipping over on its side in a horrifying thud.

"BETH!"

Only a small number of walkers were paying attention to Daryl. The others continued to pile all over the trailer.

Inside, Beth was trying to calm Judith who was crying uncontrollably. She had trouble focusing. Only did she look at her fingers and saw red did she realize that her head was bleeding.

Daryl had never acted so fast in his life. He tried to draw as much of the walkers as he could away from the trailer until he found a car. He got in and went straight for the horn. The sound steered more walkers towards him as he worked on hot-wiring the car. Once it was running, he drove it until he got to a cliff and jumped out just in time. The noises of the crash sent the herd towards it as Daryl hurried back to the trailer.

He sent arrows flying as he fought his way to the top what was now the trailer's side. Walkers had punched their way through the windows but were still struggling to actually get in. But Daryl dragged them away, shoving blades into their heads before tossing them off. Once the walkers were eliminated, he only took a second to breathe before opening the door and going in.

"Beth!"

Everything was a mess. He didn't think he would be able to find them in the mess until he saw the door to the toilet room trying to push out. Daryl yanked the door open and pulled Beth and Judith towards him.

"Take Judith!"

Daryl got Judith in his arms and made his way out of the trailer. Beth was struggling to follow behind. He had to pull her out was holding onto Judith when he noticed the blood dripping from her forehead. "Sh*t!"

He had to carry her in his arms while she held onto Judith but it was proving to be too much for him once they reached the road.

"Put me down, Daryl."

"No."

"You can't carry both of us."

Daryl knew what she was suggesting. But leaving her behind, with too many walkers still around, was not an option.

His knees were going to give in when a truck appeared driving down the road. It stopped just a few feet of them. There was a man and a woman in the back of the truck who seemed to be gawking at Daryl. "You look like you could use some help."

"Can't argue with that," said Daryl. The strangers helped pull Beth and Judith into the truck and Daryl got on board just as the walkers were approaching. The truck soon sped off. Daryl was relieved that he could finally breathe, but as he looked as Beth, he realized she had blacked out. "Beth? Come on." Light slaps did nothing.

"Don't worry," said the woman. "Our place has a doctor."

Daryl knew that their saviors could not be fully trusted but so much was happening so fast that there was no time to figure these people out...not until he could Beth to wake up.

It didn't take long till the truck arrived at a gated compound. A large factory building stood within spelling out with giant letters, TERMINUS.


	7. Terminus

**So I dunno who is still reading this but if you are, you're awesome. I've been unable to write for the past month due to writer's block, writer's burn, and sickness in-between all of that. The big confession is coming soon, I assure you...perhaps next chapter. **

**And if you're reading "Married Life," I'll try to whip up and update by the end of the week.**

* * *

**Terminus**

Beth had awoken in an unfamiliar place and it led her thrashing in a panic.

"Hey, yer alright. Calm down."

The surroundings were foreign but the voice of whom was holding her down, thankfully was one she recognized. She then realized the bandage that was on her forehead. "Daryl?"

"Yeah."

"Where are we?"

"Some place called Terminus," he said. "You were hurt bad. I needed whatever help I could get."

"Judith?"

Beth watched Daryl reach down and pick up little Judith from the floor. "L'il Asskicker ain't got a scratch on her."

The door to the room opened and a woman stepped in. "You're awake. Your friend refused to leave until you were awake." She smiled. "My name is Mary. Is there anything I can get for you?"

"I think I'm okay," said Beth.

"Well, if you're up for it, I can show you around Terminus."

Despite Daryl's insistence that she should rest more, Beth wanted to get up and get around. She wanted to familiarize herself with the first people other than Daryl that she had seen in months. He stayed closed to her as they walked outside of the factory building they had been in. Terminus had an usual quietness to it being located in a train yard. It seemed calm and serene and those two things together equaled suspicion in Daryl's mind. There were people around. One was cooking over a grill. Others were doing laundry or basic work.

Another group of people were seen making signs.

"We're glad we found you," said Mary. "Normally we have to put out these signs to get people to come here and we have no idea if anyone out there is even reading them."

Daryl asked "you're trying to get people?"

"More people means a better chance at rebuilding."

"I've heard that before," said Beth solemnly.

"Were you two always on the road?" asked Mary.

"Just for some months," said Beth. "Judith and I had family and friends in there prison. But...they're..."

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry, Beth. At least you had Daryl here, right?"

Daryl was hesitant. "Yeah...sure..."

"I think you'll both like it here. Everything here is pretty maintained and many of the train cars here are filled with food and supplies. We just have to keep an eye on them.

Mary prepared Daryl and Beth a meal from the grill. Beth noticed him sniffing the meat. "What's wrong?"

"Nuthin'" he said. "Just wanted to make sure these people were right in the head." Daryl recognized the meat as rabbit. A lifetime of eating venison allowed him to smell different kinds of cooked meat but he didn't want to take any chances.

"What do you think of this place?"

Daryl shrugged. "Dunno."

"They seem really nice," said Beth.

In all honesty, however, Daryl still felt a bit weary. It was an instinct that came all to naturally after his experiences with the Governor. Yet he couldn't find a true flaw with these people...nothing that suggested that they were a threat. They saved them and took them in. Plus, he could sense that a part of Beth wanted to stay...wanted to settle. Surviving out in the open for so long was not something meant for her or Judith.

Could this finally be the place that Daryl had been hoping for them?

...

At dinner, Beth and Daryl joined the people who were eating in a large hall. Mary came by to introduce Gareth, the leader of their community. "So what's the verdict, are you two planning on staying?"

"We might decide tonight," said Daryl.

"Well that's good to hear. You two can stay in the infirmary until you make up your minds. We have plenty of room for everyone here."

When they returned to the infirmary, Beth was smiling. "You know, I think this could be a good place for Judith. They seem to really like her."

"Place don't have much kids," Daryl pointed out, having to sour the mood.

"I think we'll be okay here."

Daryl nodded in agreement. Yes, Beth and Judith they would be okay here. "Goodnight, Daryl."

He waited patiently until he was certain that Beth was asleep. Then Daryl packed up his things. He did not like the way that Judith was staring at him from playpen she was placed in. So he cautiously approached her.

"Hey...you take care of your mama, okay? Don't give me that. You're better off without me."

Daryl attempted to ignore Judith's whimpers as he quietly left the room. On his way out, he ran into Gareth, who was surprised to see Daryl up and about. "Are you leaving?"

"Yeah."

"Without your friends?"

Daryl nodded. "We ain't much friends. I haven't been much good to them out there. But if they stay here, I'd know they're safe, right?"

Gareth could see that Daryl was trying to get some form of confirmation and assurance. "We take care of our people here."

"Alright." Daryl walked past Gareth and headed outside. It was a calm and quiet evening for departure. Beth and Judith were safe here...with people who could take care of them and not bring destruction like he did to their prison. This was all for the best, he told himself.

"G'bye Beth."

He was then struck in the back of the head. As he was losing his vision, he could see Gareth and a few other men surrounding him...

...

Beth woke up to Judith's whimpering. She didn't know how long she had been asleep. "Da..."

"What? What is it, Judith?"

But all Judith could say was "Da..."

"Daryl? Are you saying Daryl?" That's when she looked around and realized for the first time that Daryl was not there and neither were his things. She opened the door and stepped out into the hallway. "Daryl?" She found Mary walking by and stopped her. "Have you seen Daryl?"

"I saw him leaving."

"What?"

"He was talking to Gareth, asked if we looked after you and said he was leaving."

Beth went back into her room to pack her things. "What are you doing?" Mary asked.

"I'm gonna go find him. Maybe I can catch up to him."

"It's too dangerous for you to be out this late at night."

"I've been through worst."

Mary blocked the door. "I'm sorry I can't let you do this."

"Please. Daryl's my friend."

"I don't see how. He left you." Mary sighed. "But if you must, I'll let you go. There's just one thing."

"What is that?"

"You can leave, but Judith...she has to stay with us."

Beth was confused. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm sorry but we do what we must to survive." Mary then pulled out of a knife and Beth rushed to Judith making herself a barrier.

"Stop! What are you doing?!"

"We need her. If we do not sacrifice her to our god before sunset our society will not thrive."

Beth was stricken with terror. "But I thought you were looking for people."

"People with children," said Mary. "They're very rare you know."

"No! I won't let you!"

Mary charged at Beth but she grabbed hold of her arm and without even thinking about it, Beth sunk her teeth into the the lady until her arm was bleeding. As Mary paused to recoil from her injury, Beth grabbed a nearby lamp and knock her out cold.

There was nothing that could be done now but to grab Judith...grab her and run.

Beth pushed the terrifying truth of this place out of her mind so she could focus on getting Judith out of here. She found herself down a flight of stair and went towards an emergency exit. She was not expecting to see Gareth and a group of men surrounding Daryl who was tied up and on his knees. One gun pointed at him.

"Stop where you are!" Gareth had another gun pointed at her now. "Just listen! You give us the child, then you and the man go free. That's our conditions. Otherwise, he dies."

"Don't do it, Beth!" As soon as those words, escape Daryl's mouth he was met which a swift kick to the stomach. As Gareth moved towards her, Beth's grip on Judith was stronger.

"Do we have a deal?"

Beth kept looking back between him and Daryl. The gun pointing at Daryl was now pressing hard against his head.

Her free arm reached around her back pocket. "I...I'm sorry."

No one had expected it. Beth's arm swung back around, now baring the knife that Mary had. The blade found its target...straight into Gareth's abdomen.

The other men were in shock. It was the distraction Daryl desperately needed. He used his legs to kick at the man pointing a gun at him. But with his hands still tied. It still wouldn't be enough of an advantage.

Suddenly, shots were being fired and all the men were brought down.

Beth's arm was shaking so hard her grip on Gareth's gun came lose. Judith was crying uncontrollably.

"Beth! Get outta here before the others show up."

She reached down to take the knife out of Gareth's abdomen and hurried to Daryl, freeing the ropes from him.

He grabbed his crossbow. She grabbed Judith. They ran out of Terminus, hoping...praying...that they could outrun the reinforcements.


End file.
